Head-to-head

Played 4: Wins: Wellington Phoenix 2, Gold Coast United 0, Draws 2

Previous Meeting
Wellington Phoenix 3, Gold Coast United 3, Westpac Stadium, August 2010

History
Gold Coast haven't beaten Wellington in four previous meetings and have scored just three goals in the four games, all three of them coming just last month in Round 2 when a double to the now-departed Shane Smeltz and then a late goal to Jason Culina rescued a point. But the biggest result between the clubs came in Round 12 last year when Phoenix smashed Gold Coast 6-0, scoring five of the goals after the break including four in 11 minutes.

Past five matches:
Gold Coast United: LWDWD
Wellington Phoenix: LWDLW

Match Committee
Miron Bleiberg welcomes back Tahj Minniecon and James Brown from Olyroos duty, along with the recalled Chris Broadfoot but John Curtis will sit out this game after being red-carded almost immediately after coming on for his crude challenge on Hiro Moriyasu on Sunday and Daniel Piorkowski (ankle), Matt Osman (knee) and Joel Porter (hamstring) are also unavailable.

For Phoenix, Paul Ifill returns from a groin injury after missing last weekend and Mirjan Pavlovic is back from national duty but Vince Lia will miss through suspension and Dylan Macallister has been dumped. Tony Lochhead (groin) and Reece Crowther (ribs) are also sidelined, Lochhead for at least the next two months and Crowther for another three weeks.

Danger men
Bruce Djite - The burly former Adelaide United striker opened his Gold Coast account last week in the 1-1 draw with Sydney FC and he'll be looking to add to the haul on Friday night. In a team that hasn't set the world on fire in the front third, Bleiberg will be desperate for Djite to repeat the effort.

Chris Greenacre - Joined his absent team-mate Paul Ifill on three goals last weekend when he scored early against Fury and will be looking to now go past him and join the league's leading marksmen so far, Mathew Leckie and Sergio van Dijk.

At the end of the day…
Gold Coast will be bent on revenge ahead of this clash following their inept defensive display of last season but a goal-scoring ratio of 3-10 in the four previous clashes doesn't exactly make for inspiring reading, especially when considered alongside their 6-5 record this season from seven starts.

Games featuring Phoenix have featured a few more goals, Ricki Herbert's men having scored 11 times and conceded 10 to sit fourth on the table with 11 points, one adrift of second-placed Roar and one ahead of the seventh-placed Gold Coast.

If the last clash between the teams is anything to go by then expect goals, at least a couple of them and while Phoenix will go in confident after their impressive display last week against the Fury, Gold Coast might just prove too strong at home although a 1-1 draw would not surprise.

TEAMS:
Gold Coast United squad: 1.Glen MOSS (gk), 2.Steve PANTELIDIS, 3.Michael THWAITE, 5.ROBSON, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Zenon CARAVELLA, 10.Jason CULINA (c), 11.Bruce DJITE, 15.Tahj MINNIECON, 16.Kristian REES, 18.James BROWN, 19.Andrew BARISIC, 20.Scott HIGGINS (gk), 22.Adama TRAORE, 23.Steve FITZSIMMONS, 25.Chris BROADFOOT, 27.Chris HAROLD
*two to be omitted*

In: 15.Tahj MINNIECON (returns from national team duty), 18.James BROWN (returns from national team duty), 25.Chris BROADFOOT (promoted)
Out: 24.John CURTIS (suspended - 1 week)
Unavailable: Daniel Piorkowski (ankle injury - 4 weeks), Matt Osman (knee injury - indefinite), Joel Porter (hamstring injury - 1 week)

Wellington Phoenix squad: 1. Mark PASTON (gk), 2. Manny MUSCAT, 4. Nick WARD, 6. Tim BROWN, 7. Leo BERTOS, 8. Paul IFILL, 9. Chris GREENACRE, 10. Oscar Roberto CORNEJO, 11. DANIEL, 13. Troy HEARFIELD, 14. Mirjan PAVLOVIC, 15. Jade NORTH, 18. Ben SIGMUND, 19. Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 22. Andrew DURANTE (c)

In: Paul IFILL (return from injury), Mirjan PAVLOVIC (returns from national team duty)
Out: Vince LIA (suspended - 1 week), Dylan MACALLISTER (omitted)
Unavailable: Tony LOCHHEAD (groin - 8 weeks), Reece CROWTHER (gk, ribs - 3 weeks), Vince LIA (suspended - 1 week)